Best products from r/greatpyrenees

Hey! 7 month old Pyr owner as well. I've had quite a few dogs in my life ranging from pit bulls, kangals, dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and even two Czech Wolfdogs. I can relate a bit to the growing pains :). I feel like this is their biggest stretch in growth mentally, as a breed. They're starting to grow into their traits and genetics here, you know?

I've found that my Pyr (Ghost) responds to "timeout" very well. If he does things that are not acceptable, especially to people (being too rough, jumping, etc.) I just say "timeout!" and he goes to the corner of the room and lays on this doggie bed I have there. I'll leave him there about 30 minutes without letting him up, and once I do let him, he's very apologetic lol.

He used to jump on people a bit, especially me when I came home from work. Once I started sending him to timeout, he began to realize that if he can't interact with people in a positive manner, he is going to be taken away from them. It would especially hurt his feelings when I'd come in from a long day of work, and the second he jumped at me he'd get sent to timeout without me even petting him lol.

The jumping was an issue because my wife was recovering from a C-section, but now it's a nonfactor. He never jumps from excitement anymore, but he will if I ask him to.

As far as being on a leash goes, Ghost has little to no recall outside. He'll look at me like I'm crazy and keep moseying on about. Inside, he comes before I can even say his name.

Ghost is VERY good about staying beside me though. I bought him a very short and slightly stretchy leash (https://www.amazon.com/OneTigris-Tactical-Training-Control-Release/dp/B00W4S6SCA). Every day, I took him on a lap around our apartment complex with this leash on, woven through my belt. Whenever he went outside to pee, he was on that leash and he'd walk beside me to where he had to go, and then back upstairs.

For his collar, he has a training collar with the prongs on it that I used. Once he figured out that pulling against me wasn't very comfortable for him, and that the leash's bungee would activate and pull back on the prongs if he got too far, he stuck by me pretty easily. If he stopped to sniff something or smell, I'd keep walking until he took the hint. I worked up to going on runs with him like this as well. Now, he walks just fine beside me without the prong collar :)

For her being skittish, did you go through a lot of socialization when she was younger? Generally it's good to get your brand new puppies around a variety of other dogs of all shapes and sizes, and people of all shapes and sizes too during that 2-4 month old phase. It's not too late at 7 months though! Just ease her into it. She may be skittish at first, but she'll warm up to it. Try to take her to pet stores. Walk her around in them, let her see that people only want to pet her and love on her lol. She'll also get to meet a lot of dogs!

We got lucky with ours. He got to be around our 7 year old pit bull a lot, and he spent quite a bit of time at my wife's parents house with a 5 year old Rott/Lab mix, that same pit bull, and my wife's parents and 3 siblings lol. He is very good with babies, toddlers, children, teenagers, and adults, as well as puppies. Honestly he's about the sweetest dog I've ever seen lol.

He always tries to herd our poor pit bull around though, grabbing her by the collar and dragging her places. At my sister's house, he did the same thing to her 10 week old miniature dachshund puppy, except he was just walking around the house with the entire puppy in his mouth like it was acceptable lol. The puppy was surprisingly calm too!

---

EDIT: I know you're an experienced dog owner, so if any of this info is obvious, please don't be offended :). Sometimes you miss the little things, you know?

In summary, just spend a lot of time with her! A lot of people try to take a dog like a Great Pyrenees and force it to do what they expect something like a Lab to do. Encourage her to be the working class dog she is, and embrace the traits that make her a Great Pyrenees. Try to curb the slightly undesirable traits (barking at night) in a healthy way. For example, when Ghost barks at night staring out the window, I'll roll out of bed and go see what he's barking at. After all, he is just trying to keep us safe. I do the same exact thing every time. I'll look out the window, open it to let him look out as well, then I'll pet him lovingly and say "It's okay Ghost. You can sleep," and close the window. Pyrs are very habit oriented, and this just reinforces that hey, it's okay to bark if I think something is fishy, but maybe next time I see a leaf fall, it doesn't require barking at.

Sure, so I can walk you through what I did in the grooming salon whenever a dog with a lot of hair came in (that was shedding).

Ok, first thing you need to do is find a self-serve dog wash. It has to have a high-powered hair dryer like this. The dryer is very important.

Ok, so get your dog tied in the tub securely, and before you do anything else, turn the dryer on and blow out the loose hair. Your results will vary for this, it's especially effective on huskies/malamutes, but it works on my Pyr as well when he's blowing his coat out. You want to be slow with the dryer if your pup has never experienced one before. They are quite loud, and most dogs really hate the air in their face. So, hold the hose behind your back, turn the dryer on, and just wait and see how your dog reacts. If they seem scared by the noise, try to be really calming and reassuring to them. If it seems like they are okay, bring the dryer up, and slowly tilt the nozzle down onto your dog's rump. Move slowly to let them get used to the feel, making sure to gently correct when they are fussing, and reward them when they behave. I've found it helps my dog to tie a towel around his head over his ears, as he's not bothered as much by the feel of the air as he is by the sound.

Anyway, blow from underneath, focusing around the upper leg area especially. A lot of people focus on the back/neck, but in my experience, more hair comes from the belly where it joins with the back legs, and the leg itself. Blow and maybe lightly/gently brush to loosen up the hair and blow it free.

Ok, now you're ready to start the bath. Get your dog wet, and then apply shampoo liberally. You want to use a type of shampoo that is specifically designated for deshedding. I personally love the Furminator shampoo and conditioner. It smells like a pina colada, and more importantly, it works. Really do not be afraid to lather it in there, really work the shampoo in with your fingers, applying more water as you need to. Let the shampoo sit for a few minutes before rinsing.

Next, apply the conditioner. Same thing, really work it in. Let the conditioner sit for as long as you can be patient for, up to 10 minutes. Now, here is the thing that really works wonders: blow dry your dog while the conditioner is still in. I'm not sure if it's the heaviness of the conditioner, but that will really get a lot of hair out.

Rinse the conditioner, it's really important to make sure you rinse really, really well. Make sure to do touch tests. If the hair feels slimy or slick, there's still conditioner in there. Work from the top down and really pay attention to the belly, chest, and armpit areas.

Ok, that's it! Dry your dog off with towels, and the blow dry all the way. You will be surprised at how much hair comes out for the dryer. It really makes a huge difference in how soft/manageable to makes their coats, too.

If you want, you can also brush with a deshedding brush. I would recommend a mix of a slicker brush, deshedding rake, and a Furminator. The slicker brush you'll mostly use to make sure there are no mats or tangles, as the two deshedding brushes will hurt if they go over tangles or mats. So, brush through with the slicker brush, and then go over with the deshedding tools. As you work with them, you'll figure out where each tool works best.

That's what you would get if you came to me when I was still working at PetSmart and ordered a Furminator package. It will not eliminate shedding, but it will help a heck of a lot. I do this for my Pyr every 6 months or so. Regular bathing will also help with shedding. For a Pyr, once a month, or every 6 weeks or so is best, with regular brushing.

Let me know if you have any other questions about bathing/grooming!

You can also make a really big knot on the leash, or tie it around something and put it under a closed door (making sure to leave him with about 2.5-3 feet leash on the other end). He won't be able to pull the door down. ;) And OH MY YES, when they are learning about time-outs there are a lot of tantrums. But eventually "uh-uh" is just shorthand for "don't do that thing" and it so amazing!!! Good luck! I don't think not sitting right now is a big deal. And I would ONLY ask him to sit when he wants something from you. That way you have the upperhand. Don't ask him to sit in a situation where he can ignore you. You can work up to that once his sit is more solid. Basically, you kind of have to not sweat the small stuff command-wise. Border Collies they are not haha.

Edit: Make sure you don't use the time-outs for separation anxiety though. That would make it worse. That needs to be a trust building exercise of "I leave, but I will come back in 1 minute, or whenever you stop whining, whichever comes first- here ya go have a peanut butter kong while you wait" kinda thing with increasing the duration you are gone gradually. Basically you don't want to punish any behavior that is fear-based. Whether that's separation anxiety or fear of the car, those things need to be worked through with a gentle hand, lots of treats, praise and love. Highly recommend Patricia McConnell's "I'll Be Home Soon."
Also highly recommend this harness and using the FRONT attach clip so you have better leverage when he tries to pull.

I've posted this like 4 times and worry I might start looking like a shill soon LOL, but I live in vegas and it will be 117 this week and my boy charles uses the ruffwear swamp cooler

Here is what he looks like wearing it. The one pictured is a medium, but chuck weighs 56 lbs, so he's definitely on the small side of pyr. I'm 100% confident in its abilities. The only thing is that it says it will stay cool for 4 hours. That's not true in vegas at all. With 3% humidity that thing stays wet for like 30 minutes. I keep a 6 gallon jug in my truck to allow me to drench it when necessary.

Truly the best course of action is to stay inside though. Between soaking and constantly worrying about his paws, we're basically only outside long enough to poop.

WOW! so much great info! exactly what I was looking for! So you would recommend the DIY self service > PetSmart Furminator package?

Thanks for getting me the info while on mobile, i looked at furminator brush but thought that cant be the only thing i need, and couldn't find a specific grooming source this was super helpful. I will look into both DIY & Furminator.

Just to make sure i got the DIY procedure down:

1. Find self service dog wash with high power dryer ( i found a "Petco- unleashed" nearby ~$10/visit)
   
   
2. Buy Furminator brand Shampoo/Conditioner ( ~$10 each)
   
   
3. Buy Oster undercoat rake (~$16 bucks online) + bring my own regular brush...
   
   
4. Bathing-
   
   

• Wash dogs down first, get completely drenched
  
• apply shampoo (let sit in for ~5 min while rubbing?), wash dog again
  
• apply Conditioner to entire coat, then wash out again?
  
• Then begin drying with high powered dryer (~1hour?).
  
• Once completely dry i can then start to use brushes, correct?
  
• start with regular detangling brush, then use Oster brush.
  
• for my Pyr her hair seems to be heavily concentrated on her hind legs and chest. Any recommendations for these areas?
  
• Continue HighPowered drying while brushing? or once dry no need anymore?
  
  Thanks for the help! seems like DIY could cost me about ~$50-60. I just thought it would cost more for the tools they had in this grooming pyranees video

i am going to try to link to it ! the color i have is "pink floral" even though it is a teal blue color, it has pink gingham underneath which i think is really cute for a pop of color :)

edit: i just wanted to say this duvet cover is really nice for dog owners because to wash it, i just unzip it from the duvet and throw it in the wash with my sheets and then put it right back on my duvet! it’s easy and not as bulky as washing a large heavy comforter, which justified the price for me because i typically only spend like $40-$50 on comforters.

I use a Mars Coat King on my Pyr; this Oster undercoat rake is also good, it just doesn't have replaceable blades like the Coat King does. Undercoat rakes work really well to get out that undercoat while they're blowing it, without cutting the long top guard hair. I don't care for Furminators, which tend to have tines which are far too short to really get into a Pyrenees undercoat, and will instead pull and break the guard hair. You need to comb the rake with the direction of the coat, and it will help tremendously. It's what my mobile groomer guy uses on mine, and I keep one on hand to run through her coat about mid-way between grooming sessions.

Pin/Slicker brushes are sometimes not terribly effective on Pyr coats - some dogs have a super thick undercoat, and for those cases, a greyhound comb is usually a little better for a weekly brush session.

For the real fine floof, use a slicker brush like this

If you want to get the undercoat out, use a deshedding tool like this one

Brush first with the slicker brush and get all the tangles out before you use the deshedding tool. You may also need a comb to get some of the finer hair straight before going with the deshedding tool. If you really want to manage the hair, make sure you are washing regularly, every 4-6 weeks or so and using a shampoo and conditioner designed to reduce shedding. I really like the Furminator shampoo and conditioner. It helps if you are able to use a high powered dryer to dry them, that will take out so much hair you won't believe it. It will make it a lot more manageable to brush in between baths. If you don't have access to one I recommend you take your dog to a professional groomer.

Source: Worked in a grooming salon for a year

Game and maze toys are great! They also help to get my pyr to eat since she isn't usually inspired by the food in her bowl. My pup loves these two toys and will nudge them around the house until they are empty. Congrats on the new pyr :)

OurPets IQ Treat Ball Interactive Food Dispensing Dog Toy
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ARUKTG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-hrMzb3WWTK2W

StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy, Large
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001JQLNB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RirMzb483MJ7Z

ideal pet

This is what we have. It is great. Yes you do have to cut a hole but for BIG Pyrs (or as they age) it is really easy for them to get through. Has two flaps to keep weather out. Strong magnets. Our kitties have figured out how to use it—but it takes them a while to get the magnets to “let go!” Highly recommend it.

in regards to cutting down muddy paws, this gadget has been a great investment! i usually fill it with just lukewarm water, but a dash of pet-friendly soap/shampoo gets added sometimes, too, depending on level of muck. it was also helpful in winter to combat snow-packed paws from tracking melted ice water all over the house for an hour. and it's good if she has stepped in anything potentially unsafe (such as ice-melt in winter, or whatever type of chemicals the neighbors use on their lawns in spring/summer), or anything nasty, like poop (ours likes to scrape/kick her hind legs after she potties, and if you don't lead her away a few steps before she does this or before you can get a bag out to pick it up, grossness ensues). i imagine it would also be good if you start to notice your pup has any sort of seasonal allergies. ours sometimes gets itchy paws after playing outside during high-pollen times, and the paw cleaner seems to alleviate that as well. i feel like a fussy mom when i use it, but it really is worth the trouble and her temporary annoyance at me :)

It was me who deleted my comment cause I didnt want to get into an argument. I was just saying in our pyrenees household good luck with a dremel because they dont like the sound or feel. And I dont feel comfortable clipping. We do it old school with a nail filer. They have glass ones for dogs.
Works great, took a few times to get them used to it.
Started off with one toe and so on.
Sometimes I can only do a few at a time before they want to walk off lol but that's okay because I am not going to force it.
They now know it doesnt hurt and is over fairly quick. Plus treats help 😂

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071H76GW2?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

Every pup is different and what works for one wont always work for another

We got this one, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UTA1G4/ref=twister_B074MZ9LGR?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 , for our GP mainly because it was cheap and had somewhat decent reviews. We didn't want to spend $80 on a pack he wouldn't ware. We did a couple of dry runs around the house and then on shorter hikes (less than 4 hrs total) with no issues. It's a great beginner pack, but can be a bit of a pain to adjust the straps because of the fur. It holds his collapsible water bowl, two 1L nalgene bottles, and poop bags. I think we will probably end up getting a nicer one that is easier to adjust when this one bites the dust. The best part of the pack IMO, he can carry his own poop bags 12 miles :)

We use this Ecollar every day with King. It has levels 1-100 and we normally have it at a 2 for everyday commands. At 2 it's just enough to get their attention but not enough to make them scratch at the collar. You can try it on yourself and at 2 you get a warming sensation. But we also use it to correct bad behavior like food aggression, jumping of the glass door, or barking in the yard.

Example:
We gave King a large ham bone which triggered some animalistic aggression/protection behavior over the bone which carried over to all treats and food. He never had that problem before. King would snap and make contact but never a real bite, but it still hurt. We solved this by turning the collar up to 60 and when he would snap would would tap the button. It took 3-4 tries for him to understand and he never did it again. We call this the "Hot Burner" method, you only touch the hot burner on a stove once because you learn your lesson as a child.


The Ecollar when used and taught properly is an amazing tool that really helps you communicate with your dog. We sent King to a trainer in New Orleans, Pro K9 Solutions, and they taught King for 3 weeks how to use the collar. The trainer recommended Blake Rodriguez if we ever needed videos to watch for training. There is a video on his youtube page that teaches the basics of how to use and train with the Ecollar.


If you have any questions feel free to DM me.

If you want to understand more about it and are willing to spend time on training, I would suggest this book: https://www.amazon.com/Mine-Practical-Guide-Resource-Guarding/dp/0970562942 It is written for dog behavioralists, but as a fellow Pyr person I have found it very helpful in understanding resource guarding in my own dog. The strategies described in the book have been very helpful to me.

https://www.amazon.com/Safari-W6116-De-matting-Comb/dp/B0002ARR2W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499712358&sr=8-1&keywords=matt+rake

Use this for de-matting the back end. Works great and is gentle and safe. Those blades are sharp but the rounded edge is not sharpened.

https://www.amazon.com/Coastal-Pet-Safari-Undercoat-Designed/dp/B0083TSC64/ref=sr_1_7?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499712440&sr=1-7&keywords=undercoat+rake

and

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002DIRYG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_O79wzbCFSBEAN

for de-tangling use an undercoat rake with rotating pins, and the single row static rake to pull the hair out.

https://www.amazon.com/Slicker-Dog-Cat-Grooming-Brush/dp/B00P9MZB9E/ref=sr_1_13?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499712524&sr=1-13&keywords=dog+brush+slicker

Then I'll use a slicker to make him soft and shiny.

Try this: Safari De-Matting Comb for Dogs, Pet Supplies for Dogs, Dog Grooming, Dog Gifts, Dog Accessories, Dog Supplies, Dog Brushes for Shedding https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002ARR2W/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xW57CbR1P8YCM

I cut matts out all the time, but that comb helps.

Link to the rake

From what I gather, they are more meant for short coated breeds and they cut hair as they comb and often end up damaging the top layer.


The rake breaks up tangles and dense patches in the undercoat and removes the loose bits, while allowing the flowing topcoat to pass through unharmed.